


Common Ground

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Drunk Poe Dameron, Insomnia, M/M, POV Rey (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Protective Rey (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-27 15:41:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19015885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Rey learns more about Poe on a sleepless night.





	Common Ground

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Unexpected Friendship
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rey wouldn’t even be awake in that moment if not for the fact that she couldn’t sleep. It was a combination of the Bond and the residuals leaking over, residuals of Kylo’s — of Ben’s, she couldn’t help but think — conflicted emotions, and more. Even as she wandered through the ship, she wondered if she would ever sleep.  
  
The Falcon was quiet in that moment; most people were asleep even as they headed to the nearest place of safety, that being Bespin. Rey could feel them humming in the Force, individual presences spilling over into it almost like a strange mixture. She didn’t know what she was doing awake, but she doubted that she wanted to go back to sleep.  
  
It was strange, Kylo not appearing over the bond. But Rey was relieved nonetheless. Still, it wasn’t a pleasant feeling, wondering when he would pop up next.  
  
She had made it to the main hold when she saw an unexpected sight. More specifically, Poe Dameron drinking in the main hold. Something told her that she needed to go back, that she needed to leave him alone, but she doubted that she could just abandon him in that moment.  
  
It was then that Poe looked up, smiling almost tearfully. “Hi, Rey,” he said, and his words were almost slurred. “Couldn’t sleep?”  
  
She couldn’t say if she could really tell him. Especially when she wasn’t sure if she liked him much. After their initial meeting, things had gotten off to a rocky start.  
  
Finally, she said, “What are you doing up?”  
  
Poe shrugged, very casual now that she thought about it. “Couldn’t sleep either. Had a nightmare...about Kylo. About Ben.”  
  
“Did you know him?” Rey said. She knew she was treading on very fragile ground as it was, but after glimpsing him in Kylo’s mind when she’d first forced him out during interrogation, after seeing him when she and Kylo had touched hands...she needed to know.  
  
“Long ago,” Poe said. “We were friends. Grew up together.” It was like the alcohol had loosened his tongue. “It was as I got older, as we both got older, that I started seeing him as something more. Something else.” A bitter laugh. “Could have told him. I didn’.” He took another sip of his drink. “Thing is,” he said, “He actually came to see me before he left for...wherever he went. Wherever he ended up before he re-emerged as Kylo Ren. He told me that he was going somewhere that I couldn’t go. Where even the strongest spirits broke. He said I’d only break there. Even as I said he wouldn’t have to be alone.”  
  
“So he was trying to...protect you?” Rey almost couldn’t believe it.  
  
“Yeah. Something like that. Not that it did any good. He hurt me. More than he could imagine.” Poe’s voice cracked, and this time he really did look like he was about to break down completely.  
  
Rey paused. She didn’t know how to react in that moment. She had been so used to Poe seeming almost...invulnerable, for lack of a better word. She was used to him being jokey, even making light of what had happened to him just to cope with the trauma...but coping mechanisms went only so far. Rey knew it from experience. All those years of thinking her parents would come back for her, and they hadn’t cared about her one bit.  
  
Now, the coping mechanisms were stripped away, and Poe was just a man. A man, wounded from what had happened to him, wondering when the man he was still in love with would come home.  
  
“I’m sorry,” she said.  
  
“Not your fault. Not even a little bit,” Poe said. He sighed. “It doesn’t get easier. It just crashes down on you all at once, and you have to see how to deal with it."  
  
Rey nodded. She couldn’t deny it herself.  
  
Poe continued. "When you came in contact with him...did he tell you why he did it? What happened to him? Especially way out there, when he...left?”  
  
Rey bit her lip. She didn’t know how to phrase it. “He was betrayed,” she said. “By his uncle. He contemplated killing him — ”  
  
“That’s what he told you?” Poe didn’t sound accusatory, though; it was more like he had gone into shock.  
  
“And Luke confirmed it. He didn’t go through with it, but...I guess the damage was done.”  
  
Poe stared at her like he was trying to comprehend it all, and for a moment, Rey wondered if she had gone too far. Then, “So he lied to us. All of us. He said Ben had attacked first. I knew there was something wrong with it.”  
  
“I’m so sorry,” Rey said, softly.  
  
“Not your fault.”  
  
“But I’m sorry for you still.”  
  
Poe sighed. “Do you think there’s still a chance to save him?”  
  
Rey paused. That was a question that she didn’t know if she could answer. She had seen Kylo’s future, seen Ben’s future, her and Ben rebuilding the Jedi Order together, Ben reuniting with Poe and ultimately getting together with him. She had seen so much through their one hand touch. But she didn’t know how much of it was the truth and how much of it was Snoke’s deceit. Either way, she and Ben had both acted on what they saw as a vision of the future.  
  
“I wish I could say yes,” she said. “I thought I could save him too. From himself. I felt sorry for him. But it wasn’t enough to save him. To get him off the path that he was on.”  
  
Poe nodded, gravely. “But I can’f just kill him. Maybe the General wants it, but...” He sighed. “I guess that it’s ultimately up to me. We’ll do it for who Ben used to be. What might be in there.”  
  
Rey swallowed. Even after all this time, Poe still loved him. There was anger too, but also love. And most of all, a determination to do the right thing.  
  
“I wanted to thank you, Rey,” Poe said. “Just for telling me. It’s weird, but I feel...free now that you’ve told me.”  
  
“The truth does that.” A beat. “If I see Ben...if I see Kylo again, is there anything I should do?”  
  
“Just tell him,” Poe said, “That Poe Dameron is waiting for him.”


End file.
